by Kathryn Moery
Responding to an ad in the local Rogers Park neighborhood paper, Tina Stendardo began working at Misericordia thirty years ago this past November. Tina’s degree is in Special Education and she has worked in many different capacities during her tenure with Misericordia. Most recently, she was named the Vice President of Program Delivery. In her new role, her oversight has expanded to not only include Day Services, but also Misericordia School, the Recreation Department, Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center, in addition to the Outreach and Adult Enrichment programs. Tina considers herself fortunate to work alongside talented and inspiring leaders such as Mary Pat O’Brien to whom she reports, Geana Connelly, Kevin Connelly, Chris Hegg-Krackenberger and Madelyne Trejo.
by Judy Wall
Madelyne Trejo is Misericordia’s new Vice President of Clinical Services. She comes to us with a wealth of education and rich experience. Madelyne has a Master’s Degree in Nursing, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, is a registered nurse, and most recently completed the NEA-BC certification (Nurse Executive Advanced Certified-Board Certified). The majority of her career has been in nursing leadership and management. While she has held positions at North Shore Health System’s Skokie and Glenbrook hospitals, Madelyne was most recently at Swedish Covenant Hospital as the Associate Vice President of Nursing, Perioperative, GI, and Anesthesia departments. Madelyne is a Chicago native and shared that her favorite thing to do in Chicago is to eat! (She is already a Misericordia Bakery fan.) She is married and has 2 sons and 1 daughter.
by Jule Ward
For thirty years, our family shared the care of two of our children, Kristin and Johnny, with Misericordia Home. Many treasured memories of our family’s time at Misericordia live in my heart, but the ones I remember best are times when its generosity of spirit lit up like a giant Christmas tree.
In 1985, when we took our son Johnny for his first visit to the school, we shared dinner with a friendly group of fellows in one of the Village Homes. At the end of dinner, one resident pushed back his chair. “I’d like to stay and have dessert with you,” he said, “but it’s my night to volunteer at the homeless shelter.” His words solidified my instinct that Johnny would find love and empathy among his new housemates.
Some years later, the students at the Learning Center engaged in a geography program which focused deeply on one nation each year. Through their studies, they became aware of hunger in the world. This realization heightened the gratitude they felt for the abundance of care they received at Misericordia and motivated them to help those less favored. With their teachers’ help, they organized an on-campus “Walk for Hunger”. Family and friends pledged funds to support the walk.
by Kelly Burgess Mayer
The Misericordia SIBS were thrilled to return to an in-person Artist in All event! On Wednesday, November 16, 1000 artists, family and friends gathered at the Modern Wing of the Art Institute to celebrate our residential artists. Guests bid on artwork, noshed on delicious snacks and enjoyed being together with our Mis family.
Chairs Sheila Canavan, Colleen Cirulo and Kathleen Davy gracefully guided us back to the in-person event. The evening broke fundraising records: we ended the evening with $1.2 million (before expenses). The auction proceeds for the residential artwork was up $26,000 from our previous high. Guests were so excited to bid on our siblings’ artwork in person, once again!
Thanks to all the Misericordia staff for their hard work, especially Lois, Julie, Anne and the art instructors. You make our residents shine! Shout out to Mike McDonogh and Earle Atwarter who always make sure the artwork arrives safely at the Art Institute.
by Terry Baugh
Misericordia held a warm place in my heart even before I heard about the Hearts and Flour Bakery. My friends, Barb and Dave, had undertaken a long and nearly impossible search to find a nurturing place for their son, Seth, to live. When he was accepted at “Les Mis” as they fondly refer to it, the search ended, and Barb moved to Chicago to be close to Seth. Visiting Barb in Chicago and volunteering at the bakery was a great opportunity for me to catch up with my friend and spend a week working hard and feeling great about every day.
Volunteering for the bakery at Misericordia is a satisfying experience in giving back. The bakery is a hub of activity, with experienced bakers and novices, like me. I volunteered in 2019 just before the holidays. Christmas music played in the background and staff and volunteers and residents cheerily greeted each other as new people arrived for their shifts. Got a hairnet or hat? Apron? Gloves? You are ready to go.
by Linda Buchalo
This visit takes us to the largest living area on campus—McAuley Residence, built in 2004. The building, situated at the back of the campus, was constructed specifically to meet the needs of its current residents. McAuley was first occupied in 2005, as Misericordia South had outgrown its original location on 47th Street on the south side of Chicago.
McAuley is divided into six neighborhoods, with each unit named after the benefactor for that neighborhood. Included are one all-male neighborhood, one all-female, and four co-ed. Each neighborhood can serve 20–21 residents. Each has bedrooms with 2–4 residents and one single room, which allows for hospice services, as needed. Four neighborhoods have wall-equipped oxygen to serve those who require more nursing care. The current population is 113, although McAuley is licensed to serve 125 people. The ratio of staff to residents is 1 to 5 on the AM and PM shifts. The overnight shift has 2 CNAs on each unit and a nurse is assigned to each unit 24/7.
by Cynthia Maroon
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 40 years since that day when Vicki and Patty Gloor, two of my best friends, and I drove Jon for his placement at Misericordia South. He was only 4 ½ years old, and it was one of the most difficult days of my life. Little did I know that it was also the beginning of what’s become Jon’s full, rich life! I must admit that for the first six years I felt guilty and sad, and I would cry on the way home after taking him back following our frequent home visits. But as the years rolled by, I slowly began to realize that Jon was not only happy at Misericordia South, but he was thriving there! He was surrounded by staff who called him “Chocolate Eyes,” and who could offer him so much special attention, loving care, and stimulation. With all of that, coupled with his weekly home visits where he was constantly entertained by his brother, Michael, and his sister, Laura, and all their friends, Jon was living what I can only call “the good life”! Eventually Misericordia started bussing him out to school in Oak Park and I could also visit him frequently when I became his elementary school, middle school, and finally his high school “honorary room mother”.
by Jim Varey
My brother, Steven, swims in the Men’s 50m Freestyle at the Special Olympics. Let me tell you about the last time he competed. Stephen had a great start, but hit a wall about three-quarters of the way through the race. I stood on the deck, but once he completed the initial 25m, I couldn’t see him on the return pass. When I did see him, it seemed he thought the race was completed. He was clearly gassed and aware that everyone was finishing ahead of him. But he dug deep in a futile effort to make up as much time as he could, even though it was evident that he couldn’t win or even place.
At this point, I stopped recording and hustled over to the top of his lane. The gym had previously been bustling with ovations and cheers, but now was eerily quiet. Before Steven put his head down to give it his all, he looked right at me as if to say, “I’m finishing this damn race!” For a moment, nothing else mattered and there was no one else in that gym besides my little brother and me. It was if we were kids back in Carol Stream at the Aldrin Swimming Center, trying to get to the last wall.
by Elizabeth Green
On a regular basis, everyone sees how wonderful, talented and amazing our staff is. We hear from Sister Rosemary that we share our family members with our Misericordia family and never was this so obvious to our family than during the end of life.
Recently, my sister, Kathy, was in her last days. My parents and I experienced our McAuley staff at their finest. From the start of the end of life process, the staff let us know that they would be there for us, to support us through every step of the process.
We were able to be in constant contact with Kathy’s Director, Q, nurses and CNAs. They were all open to us calling in to check on Kathy when we couldn’t be there. They made sure she had all of her comforts and favorites: pillows, food and, most importantly, hugs and love.
by James Lee
On a warm August morning, we received a call informing us that Jason and Sean would be moving into the Rosemary Connelly Home at Misericordia on November 7, 2016.
It was one of the hardest challenges that we had had to face in almost 20 years! Jason being three years older than Sean, gave us such a hard time. He knew exactly what was happening. We were breaking his daily routine. Our boys are non-verbal and non-ambulatory, but both understood everything that was going on.
Several years earlier they were diagnosed with BCAP-31, a very rare genetic disorder.
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